They passed what had been a saloon, and probably still was, which bore on its window the name of Casey. “Just look at that name,” said the purser. “That’s a relic of antiquity.” “What do you mean?” asked Willie. “Why, that is a reminder of a lost people,” laughed the purser. “A lost people!” cried Roy. “With Tammany Hall full of Murphys, and Caseys, and Hennesseys, and O’Haras! What are you giving us?” “It’s a fact, though,” said the purser. “Of course, there are plenty of Irishmen in New York, but not around here. Yet some years ago, this was a solid Irish settlement. And before the Irish, it was a region of fine American homes. Now nobody lives here except Armenians, Syrians, and a few Turks. We have migrations from location to location in a city, as well as from country to country.” “So these folks are Syrians and Armenians, are they?” said Willie, quietly. “I’m mighty glad to have a chance to see them.” All about them were Armenian shops. Swarthy, black-haired women sat in dark doorways, singly and in groups, chatting and industriously doing needlework as they talked. Mostly their features were regular and pleasing. Their olive complexions were strikingly beautiful. Their teeth, exposed when they laughed, seemed to be as fine as pearls. Generally they wore shawls about their shoulders, or thrown over their heads. These were of fine, thin material, gay and even gaudy, but very beautiful for all that. They formed splendid settings for the dark faces they framed. There were men of the same races about, too. Not large, also swarthy, with piercing, black eyes, the men attracted far less attention than the women. Their dress appeared quite similar to that of most Europeans or Americans, though a close observer would have noticed many small differences, in shoes, neckwear, ornaments, and so on. All these foreigners talked for the most part in their native tongues. They seemed to chatter interminably. The men from the _Lycoming_ could understand nothing of what was said. But they gathered, from the tones and the glances that were bestowed upon them, that they themselves were the subject of some of the talk. Indeed, on several occasions Willie noticed that as they came along women jumped from the shop steps on which they were sitting and darted into the stores behind them or called excitedly to persons within. Then the women sat down on the steps again and went on with their lace making or knitting. But always the women seemed to be watching them. At first Willie thought nothing of this. But after two or three of the women had gone through same performance, Willie saw that it was more than a coincidence. Something about their appearance attracted undue attention to them.